Accumulating apparatus



.Fufly E6 1946. E. A. ROCKWELL 2,404,095

ACCUMULATING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 4. 1949 2 sheets-sheet 2 @N 3% T w Patented July 16,1946 2,404,095

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ACCUMULATIN G APPARATUS Edward A..,Rockwell, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The New Britain Machine Company, New .Britain, Conn, a'corporation of Connecticut Original application January 4, 1940, Serial No. 312,356. Divided and this application October 2, 1943, SerialNo. 504,807

9 Claims. (01. 138,30)

y invention relates part c a y to accumua cylinder I3 so as to force to th left in Figs. 2 lators for accumulating fluid pressures, adapted and 3, a piston I4 which is mounted by. means to be used for applying pressures for any desired of a screw I5 on a plunger 16 between which purpose, as for instance in connection with autopiston I4 and plunger I6 there is a chevron packmobiles, airplanes, railway cars, mine locomo- 5 ing I1, of suitable material. A snap ringstop I8 tives, etc. for the plunger i6 is located at the left of the The object of myinvention is to provide an cylinder I3, which latter is screw threaded, and accumulator applicable for any desired purpose provided with a pair ofears I9 and 20, on the split in which fluid pressures may be accumulated in end 0f-said cylinder I3, secured together witha an advantageous manner. A further objectis to 10 bolt 2 I, for screw-threaded attachment to a p e n accumulator dapted to Supply a yspring casing 22, so as to hold the screw-threaded draulic fluid under .a constant pressure. Anend of the cylinder I3 fixedly on the spring casother object is to provide an accumulator which ing- 22. Also, above and opposite tothe ears I9 is charged up to a desired maximum previously by and 20' there is a lug 22a:having a-bolt 22b-therean intermittently acting pump, and so constructin for supporting "an end of the accumulator from ed as to maintain the hydraulic fluid under high the automobile chassis in anydesired way. The

pressures. Another object is to provide an acsaid plunger I5 rests against theface of a spring cumulatcr of an improved form which is compact retainer plate 23. The spring casing 22 also has and which is provided with a spring-pressed aca split ring stop 24 for the retainer plate 23, which cumulating means. Further objects of .myinvenis also provided with an internal sleeve 25 to act tic-n will appear from the detailed description of as -a guide for a plurality of Belleville spring the same hereinafter, washers 26 which are merely dished rings of This application is adivision of my application spring steel. As shown in the drawings, the said Ser.,No. 312,356, filed January 4,1940, nowPatent rings .26 are located so that the adjacent rings No. 2,331,800, dated October 12, 194.3, upon Sys- 25 have their dished portions extendingin opposite tem for controlling the application of power. directions, said rings being thus carried in an an- While my invention. is capable of embodiment nularchamber 21 between the.casing.22..and the in many different forms, for the purpose of illusguide .25 at intervals along the chamber 21.. Betration I have shown only one form thereof in tween groups of the spring washers -29 there the accompanying drawings, in which 30 are ring-shaped blocks .28 to aid in. maintaining Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of the accuthe alignment of the spring. washersZE. The left mulator shown as being associated with a supply end of the chamber 21 is closed by. a screwreservoir, as well as with an intermittentl actthreaded cap 29, having adjacent to a split .end ing electrically driven pumpfor charging the acof the cap 29 a pair of ears 30 .and 3|, screw cumulator; threaded to the spring casing ZZ- and clamped to- Figs. 2 and .3 together constitute a vertical secgether by a bolt32, so as to .hold the cap 29 tion of the accumulator shown therein; tightly on the cylinder .22. Also above and op- Fig. 4 is an end elevation ofthe same, and posits to the ears .30 and M there is a lug 32a Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of having a bolt 32b therein for supporting the end Fig. 2. of the accumulator from the automobile chassis In accordance with my invention I have proin any desired way. Bolted to the left rac of videcl therein areservoir gravity-feed tank I havthe cap 29 there is .a cylindrical switch housing ing a filler opening 2, an inlet 3 for the returned 34, which extends inwardlywithin the washer26, discharge liquid, which may be a hydraulicbrake the same having a' removable screw-plug 35 to fluid or any other suitable liquidand-a removable permit access to the switch terminals for leads cylindrical screen filter 4 located over an out- 36 and 31 leading to the switch, terminals. A let orsupply opening 5 which leads by a pipe 6, cover plate .38 is boltedtothe switch -housing34. having a branch inlet pipe 6a for returned dis- In said cover plate 38 there is a sleeve .39 having charged liquid, to arotary pump I which may, a screw-threaded cap 49 to hold in place a sleeve for example, be any desired type ofgear pump. to .4I which has a screw 42 adapted to bereceived This is driven by an electric motor 8. in a slot 43 in the sleeve 39. Said screw 42 also Pressure liquid is thus suppliedfrom the pump fastens in position an adjustable switch support- I by a pipe 9 to. an inlet- II! on a pressure accuing .rod 44 provided with ascreW-threaded hole mulator Ii. The pressure fluid from the pump 45 toaid in the removal thereof. Slidably mount- 8 is thence received directly in a chamber I2 in c5 ed ,on the rod 44 thereis a copper plate45 which operates as a starting switch in the initial starting or setting of the switch apparatus, said plate 46 being normally held in its farthest position to the left by a light spring 4I. The other end of said spring 4! abuts against a nut 48 on a sleeve 49 carried on the rod 44, said nut 48 having a washer 50 spacing it from an insulated ring 5| carried on the sleeve 49 and which supports two rodshaped terminals 52 and 53 connected to said leads 31 and 35 respectively. The copper plate 46 is designed to initially close the circuit manually between the said two rods 52 and 53. The righthand end of the rods 52 and 53 have screwthreaded thereto conducting plates 54 and 55 which are designed, in the automatic operation of the apparatus, to close the circuit with a copper disk 56 carried on a circuit-breaker sleeve 51 slidable within the sleeve 49 and normally held. towards the right in Figs. 2 and 3 by a spring 58 to close the said circuit. It will be noted that the lead 35 is connected to one terminal 59 at one side of the motor 8 and the other lead 31 leads to any suitable source of electrical energy, as, for example, a battery, not shown, which latter is also connected by a lead 69 to a terminal Iii on said motor. The right-hand end of the rod 44 has a stop 62 cooperating with the interior of a shell 63 which is formed on the end of the circuit breaker sleeve 51. This shell 63 is adapted to be moved for the automatic making and breaking of the pumping circuit by a ring 64 mounted on a cylindrical member 55 carrying within the same a snap action circuit breaking member 65, the inner left portion of which rests against a spring housing 61, having a spring 63 I Within the same carried on the outside of a sleeve 69 which overlies a rod I0, having a headed screw II and a washer 1Ia supporting near one end thereof'a washer I2 held in place by a snap ring 12a to retain said spring 69 in place.

The said snap action circuit breaking member 66 cooperates with two bell-crank levers I3 and I4 having rollers I5 and I6 thereon, which latter are forced against the face of the cylindrical member 65 by springs II, resting against extensions IS on arms of the bell-crank levers I3 and I4 which are carried by means of pivots 89. The arms I9 form a part of the switch housing 34. The rod I9, after passing through the snap ac tion member 66, at the right thereof, carries a spring sleeve 8| having therein a spring .82 supported on a sleeve member 83 around the rod I0, which latter has a shoulder 94 supporting an end washer 85 to act as a retainer for said spring 82. The right-hand end of the rod III has a screwthread 86 which is secured within the spring retainer plate 23 by means of nuts 87. Notches 88 in the face of the cylindrical member 65 also cooperate with said rollers I5 and I5 so as to retain the pump circuit broken when the pressure-liquid line is broken, that is to say when the piston I4 is at the extreme right-hand end of the cylinder I3. However, when the said liquid line is complete and the pump motor has been started manually by moving the copper plate 46 to the right, the pump will be started to supply the pressure liquid therefrom to the cylinder I2 and the piston I4 will move to the left, accordin ly, until the snap action circuit breaker 65 breaks the circuit when the desired pressure has been accumulated, so that, thus, liquid is supplied from the cylinder I2 through a port 89 and thence through radial ports 90 in a check valve sleeve 9| which is normally kept in elevated position by means of a spring 92 carried in a cage 93 screwthreaded into the endof the cylinder I3. The lower end of the cage 93 has a slotted opening 94 to permit removal thereof, the same being covered with a screw-threaded apertured dust cap 95. Above the cage 93 there is a screw sleeve 95a, the adjusted position of the sleeve being maintained by a screw 96 cooperating with a series of slots 91 in said sleeve. This adjustment of the sleeve 9511 also permits the tightening of an annular seal 98 located above a Washer 99, the seal 98 being supported on the other face thereof by a spacing member I00 which rests against an apertured sleeve I0l within which the valve member 9| slides. A check valve I02 is carried within the valve member 'BI and is held on its seat by a spring I03. The pressure liquid which is thus supplied by the force from the piston I4 is discharged past the check valve I02 and thence to a discharge port I04 leading to a pipe I05, this discharged pressure being a uniform pressure, prefera-bly of about 500 lbs. per square inch. Another discharge pipe I06 conveys the pressure liquid at this same pressure from the discharge port I04 to any desired part to be moved, of an automobile or any other apparatus.

In the operation of the accumulator, it will be understood that the same is supplied from the supply reservoir I which conveys the liquid by the pipe 6 to the rotary pump 1, driven by the electric motor 8. The liquid, placed under pres sure by the pump I, is delivered by the pipe 9 to the inlet I0 of the accumulator II so that any desired pressure is maintained thereby. Preferably, however, the accumulator is so constructed as to maintain a pressure, for example, of approximately 1000 lbs. per square inch. The liquid, under pressure, received in the inlet I0 from the pump I forces the piston I4 to the left, in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to place the spring Washers 26 under compression. This continues until the circuit breaking member 66 passes beneath the rollers I5 and T6 so as to cause the cylindrical member 65 to move suddenly towards the left, thus causing the circuit breaker sleeve 5! to break the contact between the copper disk 56 and the conducting plates 54 and 55, so as to stop the motor 8 and the pump 1. Thi condition of the circuit, including the wires 36, 31, 59, 69 and BI, will continue until sufficient liquid has passed from the accumulator through the passageway 89, past the check valve I02 until the circuit breaking member 66 has been moved suddenly to the righthand side of the rollers I5 and I6 so as to permit the spring 58 to again complete the motor circuit between the copper disk 56 and the conducting plates 54 and 55, whereupon the pump I will again charge the accumulator. In this way a constant pressure is maintained in the accumulator II, irrespective of the extent of withdrawal of the liquid therefrom through the passaxgeway 89. In the initial starting of the accumulator it will be understood that the copper plate 46 is arranged to be moved manually in opposition to the spring 4'! in order to complete the circuit between the two rods 52 and 53. It will be understood, also, that the liquid which has been supplied under pressure from the pipes I05 and 106, after having been used or released from being under pressure, may return by the inlet 3 to the reservoir I or may be returned to the pump I by means of the pipe to.

While I have described my invention above in detail I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the same.

I claim:

1. An accumulator for a pressure fluid comprising, a movable wall adapted to be moved by the accumulation of a pressure fluid against the same, a series of dished members adapted to be compressed by the movement of said wall and when released to move said wall in the opposite direction so as to discharge said fluid under pressure, a tubular member attached to the wall around which the dished members are carried and an outer stationary tublular member in which the dished members are externally guided.

2. An accumulator for a pressure fluid comprising, a movable wall adapted to be moved by the accumulation of a pressure fluid against the same, a series of dished members adapted to be compressed by the movement of said wall and when released to move said wall in the opposite direction so as to discharge said fluid under pressure, a tubular member attached to the wall around which the dished members are carried,

an outer stationary tubular member in which the dished members are guided, and means for maintaining the axial positions of the rings comprising a spacing ring guided between the said tubular members and located so as to separate the successive dished members.

3. An accumulator for a pressure fluid comprising, a movable wall adapted to be moved by the accumulation of a pressure fluid against the same, a series of dished members adapted to be compressed by the movement of said wall and when released to move said wall in the opposite direction so as to discharge said fluid under pressure, a tubular member attached to the wall around which the dished members are carried, an outer stationary tubular member in which the dished members are guided, and a stationary extension tube for receiving the dished members, connected to the outer tube and slidable in the inner tube.

4. An accumulator for a pressure fluid comprising, a movable wall adapted to be moved by the accumulation of a pressure fluid against the same, a series of dished members adapted to be compressed by the movement of said wall and when released to move said wall in the opposite direction so as to discharge said fluid under pressure, a tubular member attached to the wall around which the dished members are carried, an outer stationary tubular member in which the dished members are guided, a spacing ring guided between the said tubular members and located so as to separate the successive dished members, and a stationary extension tube for receiving the dished members, connected to the outer tube and slidable in the inner tube.

5. An accumulator for a pressure fluid comprising, a movable wall adapted to be moved by the accumulation of a pressure fluid against the same, a series of dished rings, normally dished in opposite directions, adapted to be compressed by the movement of said wall and when released to move said wall in the opposite direction so as to discharge said fluid under pressure, and a stationary immovable spring casing against which the outside portions of said rings are guided.

6. An accumulator for a pressure fluid comprising, a slidable piston adapted to be moved by the accumulation of pressure fluid against the same, a series of dished rings, normally dished in opposite directions, adapted to be compressed by the movement of said slidable piston and when released to move said piston in the opposite direction so as to discharge said fluid under pressure, a stationary immovable spring casing against which the outside portions of said rings are guided, and a carrier for the dished rings associated with the slidable piston.

7. An accumulator for a pressure fluid comprising, a piston adapted to be moved by the accumulation of pressure fluid against the same, a series of dished rings, normally dished in opposite directions, adapted to be compressed by the movement of said piston and when released to move said piston in the opposite direction so as to discharge said fluid under pressure, a stationary immovable spring casing against which the outside portions of said rings are guided, and a plunger associated with said piston around which said rings are carried.

8. An accumulator for a pressure fluid comprising, a piston adapted to be moved by the accumulation of a pressure fluid against the same, a series of dished members, normally dished in opposite directions, adapted to be compressed by the movement of said piston and when released to move said piston in the opposite direction so as to discharge said fluid under pressure, a stationary immovable spring casing against which the outside portions of said members are guided, a plunger associated with said piston around which said members are carried, and spacing alignment members located between successive sets of members.

9. An accumulator for a pressure fluid comprising, a piston adapted to be moved by the accumulation of pressure fluid against the same, a series of dished rings, normally dished in opposite directions, adapted to be compressed by the movement of said piston and when released to move said piston in the opposite direction so as to discharge said fluid under pressure, a stationary immovable spring casing against which the outside portions of said members are guided, a plunger associated with said piston around which said rings are supported, and means for maintaining the axial positions of the rings comprising spacing alignment members located between successive sets of rings.

EDWARD A. ROCKWELL. 

